A new report finds that several iconic California beaches are among the dirtiest on the West Coast due to sewage and pollution.
Ten beaches along the California and Baja California coasts, including around the Santa Monica Pier, received the worst ratings for water quality in Heal the Bay annual report released on Wednesday.
The assessments are based on water samples taken during dry periods between April and October last year and tested for fecal contamination.
Many coastlines were home to high levels of bacteria due to heavy rainfall, which created sewage systems and pollutants entering the ocean.
“One of the things that contributes to the poor water quality we see in many parts of Southern California is how urbanized our communities are,” Tracy Quinn, executive director and president of Heal the Bay, told The Los Angeles Times.
Beaches along the California and Baja California coasts, including around the Santa Monica Pier (photos), received the worst ratings for water quality on the West Coast
Linda Mar Beach (pictured) suffers from pollution from San Pedro Creek, which carries municipal wastewater directly to the beach
‘Almost every square inch is covered with buildings, concrete or asphalt. That means more rainwater that collects more pollution and ends up in coastal waters.’
The report found that increased rainfall this year caused about 38 million gallons of sewage to enter the ocean and coastal waters.
Coastal counties in California received 31 percent more rainfall than the 10-year average.
The Tijuana River Estuary is on the list of the dirtiest because of ongoing sewage problems. More than 100 billion gallons of raw sewage from Mexico’s Tijuana River has been dumped into the Pacific Ocean in the past five years, stemming from inadequate sewage infrastructure.
According to Fay Crevoshay, communications and policy director for the international nonprofit WILDCOAST, a significant portion of the raw sewage comes from impoverished Tijuana colonias, neighborhoods where residents lack adequate housing due to poverty.
Once a famous surfing destination, Imperial Beach has fallen victim to decades of flooding sewage, earning it the nickname “America’s stinkiest beach.”
Playa Beach, Tijuana Slough, Border Field State Park and El Faro are all on the list due to exposure to sewage from the Tijuana River.
In Santa Monica, a popular spot for celebrities like Matt Damon, Bradley Cooper and Adam Levine, the iconic pier is plagued by bird droppings and municipal sewage, contributing to poor water quality.
Linda Mar Beach, located in affluent Pacifica, suffers from pollution from San Pedro Creek, which carries municipal sewage directly onto the beach.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median property value in Pacifica was $1.19 million in 2022.
Tijuana Slough (pictured) and other beaches along the Tijuana River suffer from ongoing sewage problems due to inadequate infrastructure.
Border Field State Park (pictured) is experiencing severe sewage contamination from the Tijuana River
According to the report, Lakeshore Park faces pollution problems due to its location in a network of stagnant water channels in San Francisco Bay.
Mother’s Beach is stuck in a vicious cycle of pollution because the beach’s enclosure within Marina Del Rey (where Ice Cube lives in a $7.25 million mansion) limits wave action and water circulation.
Chemicals, waste and feces pose a threat to both human health and marine ecosystems.
Experts advise avoiding the water for 72 hours after a rainstorm in California, heeding pollution warnings and rinsing off after swimming.